200 S. Anaheim Blvd.
Suite #276
Anaheim, CA 92805
Tel: (714) 765-5176
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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
City of Anaheim
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
DATE: MAY 13, 2025
FROM: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
SUBJECT: SECOND AMENDMENT TO WASTE DISPOSAL AGREEMENT
WITH THE COUNTY OF ORANGE
ATTACHMENT (Y/N): YES ITEM# 20
GOVERNMENT CODE § 84308 APPLIES: NO
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council, by Motion, approve the Second Amendment to the Waste Disposal Agreement (WDA) with the County of Orange to extend the term of the WDA through June 30, 2026 and increase the disposal fee to $43.76 per ton, and authorize the Director of Public Works, or designee to execute the Second Amendment and any related documents and take those actions necessary to implement and administer the WDA on behalf of the City.
BACKGROUND:
The disposal of solid waste at Orange County landfills is governed by a 2009 Waste Disposal Agreement (WDA) in which cities in the County have agreed to deposit their solid waste at the County’s three landfill facilities in return for low and stable disposal rates. The current WDA was executed in 2009 and took effect on July 1, 2010. The agreement was amended in 2016 to extend the term through June 30, 2025.
The Orange County City Managers Association (OCCMA) is currently negotiating a successor agreement to the WDA with Orange County Waste and Recycling (OCW&R).
Public Works staff has taken a leadership role in negotiating the WDA with OCCMA.
Additional time is needed to finalize a mutually agreeable disposal fee. The proposed amendment extends the current WDA by one year to allow for continued negotiations and includes a 2.6% disposal fee increase, per the Consumer Price Index (CPI) escalation formula in the WDA, effective July 1, 2025.
DISCUSSION:
The current Waste Disposal Agreement between all Orange County cities and OCW&R expires on June 30, 2025. In January 2022, OCW&R notified cities of its intent to revise the WDA to align with legislative requirements such as Senate Bill 1383, which requires local governments to divert organic waste, such as food scraps and landscaping waste, away from the landfills. OCW&R presented a draft proposed successor agreement to the WDA, known as the Waste Infrastructure System Enhancement (WISE) agreement, at the Orange County City Manager’s summit on November 7, 2024. The draft WISE agreement Second Amendment to Waste Disposal Agreement with the County of Orange May 13, 2025
proposed increasing the landfill disposal rate from $42.65 to $82 per ton for continued disposal of municipal solid waste at OCW&R facilities, effective July 1, 2025.
The Orange County City Manager Association formed a committee in December 2024 to review the proposed agreement and requested this Amendment to the existing WDA to allow time for further negotiations on March 12, 2025.
The OCW&R agreed to a 12-month extension of the current WDA with a 2.6% CPI inflation- adjusted disposal fee of $43.76 per ton, effective July 1, 2025. This extension includes a six-month negotiation period with requisite monthly updates to the cities if a successor WDA is not finalized by September 30, 2025. The extension period will allow stakeholders to negotiate terms on a successor agreement to the WDA as well as to evaluate costs, infrastructure plans, and future disposal fee adjustments.
It is recommended that the City Council approve the Amendment to ensure stable disposal rates for residents and businesses and continued partnership between the 34 cities and the County for an additional year. Disposal rates are expected to substantially increase in future years. Approval of the amendment is required by all 34 cities, after which it will be presented to the Orange County Board of Supervisors for final approval.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
All costs associated with this agreement are included in the Public Works Department’s proposed FY 2025/26 budget for consideration in June.
Respectfully submitted,
Rudy Emami
Director of Public Works
Attachments:
1. Second Amendment to Waste Disposal Agreement
2. Original Agreement and First Amendment